Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about TIE Office-Mates document holders, job ticket holders, waterproof vinyl sleeves, industrial sign holders, material options, and custom manufacturing. Our products help businesses protect, display, identify, and organize paperwork in demanding work environments.
Manufacturing & Shop Floor Organization
Q: How can I prevent shop orders from being routed to the wrong department?
A: Use our color-coded job ticket holders to assign work orders by department, workflow stage, or priority. Consistent color coding provides an immediate visual cue that helps reduce routing mistakes and misplaced paperwork.
Q: Our production travelers keep getting damaged or lost. Any fix?
A: Try our 9x12 stitched job ticket holders made from heavy-duty clear PVC with reinforced borders and eyelets. These reusable holders help protect production travelers from handling damage, dirt, and everyday shop floor exposure while keeping documents attached to the job or work area.
Q: We have non-English-speaking workers. How can we communicate work priorities visually?
A: Use color-coded holders to assign consistent visual meanings to departments, due dates, production stages, or priorities. Color coding can supplement written instructions and help workers quickly recognize where a job belongs.
Q: Can you make holders to fit our custom bin size or racking setup?
A: Yes. Our custom-sewn holders can be manufactured in specialized sizes, shapes, pocket configurations, and attachment arrangements to suit equipment, storage bins, and racking systems. Contact us with your requirements.
Warehouse, Inventory & Document Display
Q: How can I visually organize pick lists, restocking instructions, or bin labels?
A: Use our sign holders with hook-and-loop, magnetic, or self-stick mounting options. Available color-coded borders help differentiate inventory locations, handling instructions, and work priorities.
Q: Our classroom activity sheets keep getting damaged or misplaced. Any ideas?
A: Use color-coded document sleeves to organize activities by subject, classroom, or student group. Compatible clear vinyl surfaces may be used with dry-erase markers to support reusable worksheets. Test marker compatibility before use.
Q: What is the advantage of reusable document holders over disposable plastic bags?
A: TIE Office-Mates heavy-duty document holders are designed for repeated handling, document changes, and industrial use. Depending on the product, features may include heavier vinyl, reinforced stitched edges, heat-welded seams, hanging eyelets, and reusable closures.
Rather than repeatedly replacing lightweight temporary packaging, businesses can select a holder suited to the documents and work environment.
Waterproof Protection & Wet Environments
Q: Do you offer document holders for restaurant kitchens and wet work areas?
A: Yes. Our waterproof press-lock document holders help protect kitchen prep sheets, inspection checklists, cleaning schedules, and other paperwork from splashes, spills, and ordinary low-pressure water spray when properly sealed.
Open-top vinyl holders are also available for locations where frequent document changes are more important than waterproof protection.
Q: How can I protect barcode labels and packing lists in dusty or wet environments?
A: Our waterproof document and tag holders use sealed seams and resealable closures to help keep paperwork clean, dry, and visible in rain, snow, and splash-prone work areas.
For dependable protection, fully close the seal and keep it free of debris. These holders are not intended for pressure washing or immersion.
Q: What is the difference between water-resistant and waterproof document holders?
A: Water-resistant holders provide a degree of protection from incidental moisture, damp conditions, and light splashes. Openings, stitching, or unsealed edges may allow water to reach the documents inside.
TIE Office-Mates waterproof holders are designed to protect enclosed paperwork from rain, splashing water, and ordinary low-pressure spray when properly sealed.
Waterproof performance depends on the complete holder construction, including the seams, closure design, and proper use. Clear vinyl material alone does not make a document holder waterproof.
Learn more about waterproof vs. water-resistant protection.
Q: Are your waterproof document holders submersible?
A: No. Waterproof does not mean submersible. TIE Office-Mates uses the waterproof classification for products intended to protect paperwork from rain and splashing water when properly sealed.
Our waterproof document holders are not rated for underwater immersion, pressure washing, or conditions where crushing or squeezing could force water past the closure.
Submersible products require separate engineering and testing for specified immersion depths and durations. TIE Office-Mates does not currently offer submersible-rated document holders.
Q: Are all clear vinyl document holders waterproof?
A: No. Clear vinyl is naturally resistant to water, but the construction of the holder determines whether the enclosed paperwork is protected.
Open-top pockets, stitched holders, and some other styles may allow moisture to enter through the opening or seams. For wet or outdoor applications, choose a product specifically identified as waterproof and follow its closure instructions.
For additional guidance, see our water-protection terminology guide.
Vinyl Thickness, Durability & Material Options
Q: Why do you use heavy-duty 8 mil vinyl instead of thinner 6 mil material?
A: Many TIE Office-Mates heavy-duty waterproof document and tag holders use 8 mil clear vinyl, approximately 33% thicker than 6 mil vinyl found in some lighter-duty document sleeves.
The heavier material provides a more substantial, reusable holder suited to frequent handling, document changes, and industrial applications.
Material thickness is only one factor in durability. Seam construction, closure design, reinforcement, and attachment methods also affect performance. Specialty products may use different thicknesses, so check individual product specifications.
Q: What does 8 mil vinyl thickness mean?
A: A mil is one-thousandth of an inch. 8 mil vinyl measures approximately 0.008" thick, while 6 mil measures 0.006". That makes 8 mil material approximately 33% thicker than 6 mil material.
Thicker does not automatically mean proportionally stronger, but it is an important material specification when selecting document holders for repeated handling.
Q: Outdoor UV exposure yellows and cracks our current holders. Any fix?
A: Yes. We can manufacture sewn and heat-welded products using clear vinyl formulated with UV-resistant additives to help reduce sunlight-related yellowing and brittleness.
This material is designed to slow UV breakdown of the vinyl itself. It does not necessarily prevent UV rays from reaching and fading the documents inside.
If the contents also need protection from fading, consider colored vinyl panels or flaps that physically block sunlight from reaching the paperwork.
Standard catalog options include our UV-resistant sewn job ticket holders and our UV-resistant heat-welded waterproof tag holders.
We can also produce custom versions using UV-resistant clear vinyl for applications requiring additional outdoor durability.
Q: In cold weather our holders crack or have edge breakage. Any fix?
A: Yes. We offer sewn and heat-welded products made with cold-rated vinyl formulated to remain more flexible at low temperatures and help reduce cracking and edge breakage in freezing conditions.
Extreme temperatures can still stress vinyl materials. Choosing a cold-rated construction appropriate for the expected conditions can improve performance.
For standard options, see our cold-temperature-rated sewn 9x12 outdoor holders and cold-weather industrial outdoor waterproof document holders.
For a different size or configuration, submit a request through our custom design form.
Emergency Procedures & Business Continuity
Q: During a ransomware attack, we lost access to our systems. Could your products help organize temporary paper backups?
A: Yes. Physical document holders can help businesses organize printed emergency procedures, contact lists, manual work instructions, and other essential information needed when computer systems or networks are unavailable.
Our color-coded holders can help departments identify emergency documents and maintain an organized paper-based workflow. They are a useful organizational tool within a broader business continuity plan.
Custom Sizes & Attachment Options
Q: Can you add grommets, magnets, or other features?
A: Yes. We offer custom attachment options including brass eyelets, reinforced holes, hook-and-loop fasteners, magnets, adhesive backs, stitched tabs, and other mounting configurations.
Q: Can you manufacture a custom waterproof document holder?
A: Yes. We can discuss special sizes, pocket configurations, materials, closure designs, and mounting methods for industrial applications.
Waterproof performance depends on the complete construction, so custom specifications should identify the intended exposure conditions and required protection.
Manufacturing & Company Information
Q: Are your products Made in the USA?
A: Yes. TIE Office-Mates clear document and tag holders are manufactured in the USA using heavy-duty materials selected for their intended applications.
Q: Why haven't I heard of TIE Office-Mates before?
A: We've served warehouses, schools, manufacturers, and other commercial customers for over 30 years. TIE Office-Mates products are manufactured in the USA by our parent company, Dakonte Product Group.
Our focus is on durable products, practical industrial configurations, flexible sizing, color-coding options, and custom manufacturing solutions.
Product Features at a Glance
Q: What options are available for each product style?
A: TIE Office-Mates offers multiple document holder constructions and attachment methods. The table below summarizes common features and applications. Not every option is available on every standard item.
| Product Type | Key Features | Attachment Options | Customization | Typical Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job Ticket Holder | Heavy-duty clear PVC, stitched borders, color coding | Eyelets, hook-and-loop, magnets, adhesive options | Custom sizes, borders, pockets and attachments | Work orders, production travelers, assignments |
| Sign Holder | Clear or rigid PVC, color-coded options | Magnets, hook-and-loop, adhesive, hanging hardware | Custom dimensions, colors and mounting options | Pick lists, bin labels, notices, facility signs |
| Open-Top Vinyl Holder | Reusable clear vinyl pocket; no waterproof seal | Self-stick, hanging and other styles | Custom sizes, materials and mounting methods | Inventory labels, checklists, identification cards |
| Waterproof Document & Tag Holder | Sealed seams, resealable closure, heavy-duty vinyl | Brass eyelets, molded hanging holes and selected other configurations | Special sizes, specialty materials and attachment options | Wet-area paperwork, outdoor tags, maintenance records |
Need help selecting a holder? Our team can help identify suitable sizes, materials, closures, and mounting options for your application. Contact TIE Office-Mates.